BibFormats

050  Library of Congress Call Number (R)

Record Type

BIB

Input Standards

Field (Full/Minimal)
Required if applicable/Optional
1st Indicator  Existence in LC collection
blank character No information provided
0 Item is in LC
1 Item is not in LC
2nd Indicator  Source of call number
blank character No information provided
0 Assigned by LC
4 Assigned by agency other than LC
Subfields (R=Repeatable  NR=Nonrepeatable) Input Standards (Full/Minimal)
ǂa Classification number (R) Mandatory/Mandatory
ǂb Item number (NR) Required if applicable/Required if applicable
ǂ0 Authority record control number or standard number (R) Optional/Optional
ǂ1 Real World Object URI (R) Optional/Optional
ǂ3 Materials specified (NR) Optional/Optional
ǂ6 Linkage (NR) System supplied/System supplied
ǂ8 Field link and sequence number (R) Optional/Optional

Definition

The classification or call number that is taken from the Library of Congress Classification.

Guidelines

Use field 050 with 1st indicator value blank and 2nd indicator value 4 for LC call numbers and classification numbers assigned by agencies other than LC. If the classification portion of your number does not conform to the LC class schedules, use field 099.

Use field 055, field 060, or field 070 for call numbers based on LC classification schedules and assigned by the Library and Archives Canada, the National Library of Medicine, or the National Agricultural Library, respectively.

If you are transcribing LC printed catalog copy, enter LC call numbers in field 050. However, LC does not classify some types of material. LC copy for unclassified material may have the phrase NOT IN LC. If you are transcribing such copy, do not include this phrase in field 050. You may enter a locally assigned call number in field 050 with 1st indicator value blank and 2nd indicator value 4.

For specific information on establishing and assigning Library of Congress classification numbers, as well as for shelflisting materials collected by the Library of Congress, see Library of Congress Classification and Shelflisting Manual.

For information on classifying and shelflisting juvenile material according to the practices of the Library of Congress' Children's and Young Adults' Cataloging Program (CYAC), see Classifying CYAC Material and Procedures for Shelflisting CYAC Material.

Data to omit

With the exception of CONSER records, enter only call numbers and classification numbers in field 050 based on the LC classification schedules and omit all other numbers, such as:

  • Shelf numbers assigned to sound recordings (e.g., RZA 8603)
  • Microform numbers (e.g., Microfilm 8124 reel 1, no. 6 E)
  • Minimal-level call numbers (e.g., WMLC L82/1234; MLCM 81/3002 (B))
  • "In process" designations (e.g., IN PROCESS)
  • "Law" designations (e.g., LAW; K0)

Instead, enter these types of numbers in field 099.

Structure of LC call numbers

The following table lists the first 10 predefined elements (a = alpha, n = numeric, x = alpha or numeric character) of an LC call number. The definitions of these elements remain constant, even if a call number lacks an element. For example, the first Cutter number is element 5 even if the call number has no date preceding the first Cutter number.

Element Input standard Examples
1 Alphabetic portion of class number (aaa) DR M JZ PS HF KF Q
2 Whole number portion of class number (nnnn) 1879 211 33 3523 5414 4558 11
3 Decimal number portion of class number (.nnn) .5       .13    
4 Date or other number (nnnn or nxxx)           15th  
5 Decimal point and first Cutter number (.annn) .M37 .M94 .D4 .O46 .R73 .K46 .P6
6 Date or other number following first Cutter number (nnnn or nxxx)     1999 1968 1978 1908  
7 Second Cutter number (annn) M37   E37        
8 8th element of call number 1998 K.252         n.s.
9 9th element of call number   1989         v. 56
10 10th element of call number. Any succeeding elements of call numbers   c         pt. 9

When printing labels, fields 050 and 090 print for institutions profiled for LC or NLM call numbers. For more information about printing labels, see section Label printing.

Entering call numbers

Use the following guidelines to enter LC call numbers in field 050:

  • Enter one space before a date or volume number. Do not enter any other spaces, except as described in the these guidelines.

  • Enter alphabetic and numeric portions of the class number (elements 1, 2, and 3) in subfield ǂa. Do not enter intervening spaces.

    050   4 F2161 ǂb .B63
    050   4 DD259.4 ǂb .B527 1973
  • Enter one space before a date or other number following the class number (element 4) in subfield ǂa

    050   4 DK274.3 1968 ǂb .K39
    050   4 KF4558 15th ǂb .G6 1974
    050   4 BX830 1962.A45 ǂb P792 1972
  • If the date or other number is part of the classification number (element 4) and there is no following information, enter the date in the subfield ǂb

    050   4 E275 ǂb 1962
    050   4 E525.5 ǂb 105th
  • If the call number has only one Cutter number, enter the decimal point and Cutter number (element 5) in subfield ǂb

    050   4 DD17 ǂb .G475 1996
    050   4 DK508.833 ǂb .K57 2018
    050   4 KF27 ǂb .A763984 1990
    050   4 JX1977 ǂb .A2 ST/SOA/40
    050   4 VM341 ǂb .M9 vol. 48
  • If the Cutter relates to the subject, enter it in subfield ǂa. For example, if the call number begins with CS71 (Genealogy--By region or country--United States--Family history--Individual, A-Z), enter the Cutter number in subfield ǂa and the date in subfield ǂb.

    050   4 CS71.S889 ǂb 1968
  • If the call number has two Cutter numbers, the first Cutter is used to bring out a more precise aspect of the subject, and the second Cutter usually refers to the preferred access point of the work. Enter the first Cutter (element 5) in subfield ǂa and the second Cutter number (element 7) in subfield ǂb.

    050   4 PQ4734.V5 ǂb Z59
    050   4 VA65.B54 ǂb B52 1972
    050   4 Z673.A1 ǂb M86
    050   4 HF5549.5.R44 ǂb M35
    050   4 CR4755.I8 ǂb C65 2006
  • If a date intervenes between two Cutter numbers, enter a decimal point before both Cutter numbers

    050   4 JX233.A5 1968 ǂb .B3
  • Enter one space after the second Cutter (element 7)

    050   4 Z5313.G69 ǂb R63 1988
    050   4 BR878.S28 ǂb C45 2000
  • Treat the term Suppl. or subser. as part of the item number. Enter a space between the term and the item number. If the call number has no item number, enter Suppl. or subser. in subfield ǂb. Use an uppercase S in Suppl. Enter subser. with lowercase letters.

Multiple call numbers

Certain classification choices are recognized to be local decisions. Multiple call numbers in the same classification scheme in a WorldCat record may be appropriate under certain circumstances. For more information, see 050-099 Introduction to Call Numbers.

Label printing

For more information about printing labels in Connexion, see Cataloging Label Program. For more information about printing labels in Record Manager, see My Labels.

1st Indicator

Existence in LC collection. Whether the item is in LC's collections.

 
blank character

No information provided

 
0

Item is in LC. Item is in LC's collections under the call number given in the field.

 
1

Item is not in LC. Item is not in LC's collections, or is not shelved under that number.

Note: If you are transcribing LC printed cataloging copy, assume that the item is held by LC and use value 0. If one of the following conditions exists, assume the item is not held by LC. Follow the suggested practice, and use indicator value 1:

  • If the call number is enclosed in brackets, do not enter the brackets

    050 1   HF314.V52 ǂb U54
    [Number appeared as [HF314.V52U54] in LC printed cataloging copy]
  • If the call number is preceded by a Maltese cross ( maltese cross ) and is enclosed in parentheses, do not enter the parentheses or the Maltese cross

    050 1   DA112 ǂb .G82
    [Number appeared as (maltese crossDA112.G82) in LC printed cataloging copy]
  • If a class number alone is enclosed in brackets, do not enter the brackets

    050 1   QL336
    [Number appeared as [QL336] in LC printed cataloging copy]

2nd Indicator

Source of call number. The source of the classification/call number.

 
blank character

No information provided

 
0

Assigned by LC. Used when an institution is transcribing from LC printed cataloging copy.

 
4

Assigned by agency other than LC

Note: LC prints alternative class numbers in brackets below the complete call number. If you are transcribing such copy, enter each alternative class number in separate subfields ǂa following the item number in subfield ǂb of the complete call number. Do not enter the brackets.

Call number Enter
PZ3.S6737 Las [PR5037.N58] 050 00 PZ3.S6737 ǂb Las ǂa PR5037.N58
M2.R2384 [M5] [M11] [M140] [M178] 050 00 M2 ǂb .R2384 ǂa M5 ǂa M11 ǂa M140 ǂa M178

If you prefer to use the alternative class number locally, enter the class number and an item number in field 090. Or you may locally delete the unwanted call number from field 050 and add an item number to the alternative class number. Do not delete the unwanted call number from the WorldCat record.

Subfields

 
ǂa Classification number

The class number portion of the call number.

050 0 0 HE310.C45 ǂb R68 2010
100 1   Rothstein, Jason, ǂe author
245 1 0 Carless in Chicago / ǂc Jason Rothstein
264   1 Chicago : ǂb Lake Claremont Press, ǂc [2010]
650   0 Urban transportation ǂz Illinois ǂz Chicago ǂv Guidebooks
[HE corresponds to Transportation and communications; 310 corresponds to Urban transportation, By region or country, United States, By city or metropolitan area, A-Z; C45 corresponds to Chicago; R68 is a Cutter representing Rothstein, Jason; and 2010 corresponds to the date of publication]
ǂb Item number

The item number portion of the call number.

050 0 0 LB1028.3 ǂb .B357 2012
100 1   Bain, Alan, ǂd 1957- ǂe author
245 1 4 The learning edge : ǂb what technology can do to educate all children / ǂc Alan Bain, Mark E. Weston ; foreword by John Hattie
264   1 New York : ǂb Teachers College Press, ǂc [2012]
650   0 Educational technology
[LB corresponds to Theory and practice of education; 1028.3 corresponds to Technology/Educational technology; B357 is a Cutter representing Bain, Alan, 1957- ; and 2012 corresponds to the date of publication]
ǂ0 Authority record control number or standard number

For information about subfield ǂ0, see Control Subfields.

ǂ1 Real World Object URI

For information about subfield ǂ1, see Control Subfields.

ǂ3 Materials specified

For information about subfield ǂ3, see Control Subfields.

050 0 0 CLASSED SEPARATELY ǂ3 v. 79-
050 0
0 JX1295 ǂb .U4 ǂ3 v. 1-78
[LC CONSER use]
ǂ6 Linkage

Data that link fields when non-Latin script is entered. This subfield is system supplied and does not appear in OCLC online displays. Do not manually add subfield ǂ6. For more information about subfield ǂ6, see Control Subfields.

ǂ8 Field link and sequence number

For information about subfield ǂ8, see Control Subfields.

Indexing

For indexing and searching information, see Searching WorldCat Indexes, field 050.

MARC 21

For more information, including content designator history, see MARC 21 Format for Bibliographic Data, field 050.